Haven’t cast anyone for Bombay Talkies yet: Karan Johar

Filmmaker Zoya Akhtar has already shot her portion of the film Bombay Talkies, which celebrates 100 years of Hindi cinema with four short films from four Hindi film directors. Zoya worked with Katrina Kaif in her 20-minute feature. Anurag Kashyap is currently filming his section with Amitabh Bachchan. And Dibakar Banerjee has apparently signed on Nawazuddin Siddiqui. But the producers of Bombay Talkies are still uncertain about Karan Johar’s film and whether Shah Rukh Khan will be part of it or not.

Producer Viacom 18 claims that Shah Rukh is the central character of the Karan Johar film that showcases how romance in Hindi cinema has changed over the years. But Karan says the actor is not yet part of his short movie.

“I am currently in the pre-production stage and haven’t cast anyone. I just locked the screenplay a few days ago, and plan to start the shoot by the end of January,” says Karan. However, the director, who is known for his three hour-long sagas, is finding it difficult to narrate the story in 20 minutes, the time each filmmaker has been allotted. “For me, it’s a challenging format. We have 20 minutes to tell a story, which is coherent and connected to the other plots. This can be a challenge for any filmmaker,” says Karan.

Bombay Talkies releases on May 3, a day that marks the film industry’s centenary. “I am excited by this short film. It’s something I have never done before,” says Karan.